Darling Raven Darling Nikki 4 Baby I'm a Star
by raven lynn morrigan
Summary: Nikki/Raven's baby is born. Now that the baby is here can she carry out her plans and get everything she desires? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Fairly quickly as you start to read this story you will realize this story picks up 2 months after the last one ended. This story takes place in some future post apocalyptic nuclear world war 3 winter in Jump City in the Teen Titans universe-that mouthful of a reminder was to clarify why there was a thundersnow storm in august at the end of the last chapter.

* * *

**Darling Raven Daring Nikki 4-Baby I'm a Star**

Terra looks outside the window at the kids who have ventured out into the evening for trick or treating but quickly looks up when something else catches her attention. "When did they put that up?" She glances back at her brother. "And what are you doing?"

"I agree with what Nightwing said last night. Its about time the heroes show up around here again taking down the petty criminal element for starters. It's been awhile since I've been Geo Force but it feels like the right thing to do. As for the billboard-it was put up this morning. I don't know how you slept through it."

She turns back to the billboard who's advertisement features the star performers of Elrich's club. Ebony who she remembers is decked out in gold-Nikki with an airbrushed out pregnancy she assumes is still silver-but she is perplexed by the girl in bronze. That color was never at the club before. Terra realizes its the girl that Elrich has been dragging to parties instead of Nikki and she always seems to be wearing that color. And the guy is he in silver or is that platinum? If that was Nikki's idea then she would want only the best for her guys. "Do they think because the mayor supports the place that its going to get him votes?"

Nightwing glances over at Terra as he enters the room. "Probably. This close to the election there are too many working class Joes and Janes who spend their paychecks out there that just might fall for it. Especially if the girls and guys are instructed to get promises of votes for the mayor from their clients.

Terra turns back to the billboard when the guy's charm catches her attention. "Is that Kilowatt?"

Nightwing looks out the window. "Couldn't be he's blue."

"Yeah-but that symbol is his isn't it?"

-1-

Nikki catches sight of Kilowatt at the doors of the room watching her newest routine. He's been very distant towards her for a long time now. She turns her attention back to her dancing. She hasn't done a stripping routine for a long time for obvious reasons she thinks as she looks down at her belly. Most of the guys are eating it up like its the first time she has ever been onstage. The rest are drooling as they watch her probably fantasizing that they are the baby's father. The blaring music of 'Baby I'm a Star' drowns out the startled cry she unleashes from the sudden cramp of pain that hits her. Such a fast song with the baby due any day now doesn't seem like the best idea-but the name of the song given her advanced state of pregnancy was just too tempting. She should probably stop but Elrich would most likely send her right back out.

Kilowatt looks around at all the other guys. He can't believe none of them caught that momentary grimace of pain on Nikki's face. He turns around and heads downstairs. The boss might not care but he knows little sis will put a stop to this before Nikki has her baby up on stage. He pauses as Candy and Ebony come upstairs.

"Nikki started her new routine yet?"

Kilowatt looks over at Candy. "Yeah and I'm pretty sure her labor just started too."

"And she's still out there onstage?" Ebony asks.

"The boss has been staking out the backstage area making sure all the girls know to get promises of votes for the major when they work the floor. I doubt she's going to stop with him back there."

Candy looks over at Ebony. "The jerk would just make her go right back on if she left the stage."

"I'm going to get Sonja." Ebony rushes back downstairs.

Sonja looks away from one of the newest girl's rehearsals when Ebony rushes over to her. "Something wrong?" She listens as Ebony whispers in her ear. Sonja turns to the girl. "Just keep practicing I'll be back to check on you later." She follows Ebony back upstairs.

-1-

Elrich looks at all the money gathered up that was thrown up on stage as Nikki's routine is over. He quickly looks through it as she leans against the wall nearby. "Guys would pay for a front row seat if darling Nikki decided to jump off a cliff."

"Cliff-no-but were you planning to sell tickets to the delivery?"

He turns to look at Nikki. "Delivery?" Elrich watches as she grimaces in pain. "What's wrong?"

Nikki glares at him as Sonja rushes up to her.

"If you would get your nose out of that money for a moment you might realize that she is about to have your baby."

"Baby? This soon?"

Nikki looks from Elrich to Sonja. "I hope the baby gets the brains from me and not him."

"So do I. Come on lets get you up to the infirmary." Sonja glances over at Ebony and Candy. "Girls would you please drag my dope of a brother away from the money and up to the infirmary?"

Kilowatt watches as Nikki is taken into the elevator. He walks down the hall and up the stairs as the girls try to pull Elrich away from the money. Nikki was right about one thing-so far at least the boss has proven he is not father material. He quickly makes it to the floor with the infirmary before the elevator reaches it.

Nikki spies Kilowatt down the hall as little sis leads her from the elevator. She clearly remembers what he told her months ago. He could have been lying just to get her to trust him and give him info he could feed to his friends but after a little snooping she found his story mostly checked out about the last time a girl here ended up pregnant. No one was sure just who took the baby away-but there was a baby that was taken away from a girl in the early months of the club. Nikki purposely stops collapsing to her knees outside the elevator.

"Are you okay?"

She hisses from the pain of her latest contraction. "It hurts."

Little sis turns spying Charlie. "Will you carry her into the infirmary?"

Nikki looks up as Kilowatt comes over to her and picks her up. She whispers in his ear. "I'm scared don't let them take the baby...I don't care what you have to do-just don't let them take my baby."

Kilowatt nods as he carries her into the infirmary. As messed up as he has been about his feelings for two girls sharing one body-he is the one that planted that seed of fear in Nikki's mind and he owes it to her to at least hang around if for nothing other than her peace of mind. He glances over at little sis as he lays Nikki down on one of the exam tables. Anyone trying to take away Nikki's baby wouldn't set foot out of the club alive if she caught them. He steps back out of the way as Candy and Ebony bring the boss into the room.

"I've got a meeting in-"

Sonja turns on her brother. "-the only meeting you are going to have is witnessing the birth of your child."

Nikki moans from the pain. "If he ever comes near me again-after this I'll-"

The Doctor approaches Nikki "-relax Nikki. By the time its over and you are holding the baby you will forget all about the pain you are in right now."

"Is that what they teach you to say in medical school to reassure a new mother? If so it doesn't work."

"If you want an epidural to stop the pain we need to know now so we can take you to the hospital. We can't do that here."

Nikki glances at Kilowatt as she venomously shakes her head no. The boss wouldn't let Kilowatt out of the club and for whatever reason Kilowatt has been so distant toward her-she knows he won't let anyone take her baby from her. Like it or not she is willing to put up with the pain to have that peace of mind.

* * *

READ MY PROFILE BEFORE YOU REVIEW PLEASE for a list of the things in reviews that trigger my bipolar manic episodes and please for both my sake and yours don't put any of them in a review. you don't want to be on the receiving end of a reply if something does trigger an episode and one of my cousins isn't around to stop me from replying. Actually I take meds for that now but sometimes things still set me off so yeah-warning stills stands.


	2. Chapter 2

**Darling Raven Daring Nikki 4-Baby I'm a Star**

*2*

Elrich grumbles after leaving the infirmary. A missed meeting and several hours of verbal abuse from Nikki while she was in labor hasn't left him in a good mood. Congratulations from the guards he passes on the way up the office only make his mood worse. Adding insult to injury are the baby items in the office that weren't here before. He picks up a note attached to one of them and angrily wads it up. Elrich is in mood for his sisters threats either. There are bigger problems to deal with than a baby. New cops that are coming onto to the force will have nothing to do with him and his associates on the city political scene and their monetary kickbacks to look the other way on certain things. It isn't looking so good for the mayor's reelection either. The other mayoral candidate is going to be very bad news for those running the city along with the new district attorney prospect that seems to have an overwhelming lead in early poles. If both of them come into power it is only a matter of time until this place is shut down. There is much to do and the election is only a few days away now.

With the TV on mute he misses the report about a couple of masked vigilantes that have taken down several thieves and would be assailants on the streets tonight.

-2-

Nikki holds her arms out anxiously as the baby girl is finally brought to her.

"She's so cute!" Candy takes a picture of Nikki and the baby with Nikki's phone.

"What are you going to name her?"

Nikki looks up at Ebony for a moment. She hasn't really considered baby names until now but a name suddenly pops into her mind. "Arella."

"That's such pretty name." Sonja beams at her little niece. "Come on girls-lets give mommy and baby a little time alone."

As Nikki looks down at the baby she can't believe she is finally here. A perfect little bundle of joy that is all hers. She looks up at Kilowatt who stands in the doorway. "Arella."

"Pretty name." Who picked it out he wonders-Nikki or Raven? He knows that was the name of Raven's mother. "It means angel doesn't it?"

"Does it?" She smiles down at the baby.

"Its perfect for her." The doctor looks from the baby to Nikki. "And as for you Nikki-I'm putting my foot down this time. No stripping-no sex until I give the okay. You need to rest and recuperate."

"Tell that to the boss."

The doctor winks. "I did before she slipped out."

Kilowatt would like to do the same and stop this madness with Nikki. Its like loving two girls but in this case they are sharing the same body. The baby's name has to be proof that Raven is aware of what is happening while Nikki is in control. He told Raven he loved her-he came back her for her-not this other part of her.

Nikki glances up at Kilowatt. "Spill it."

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You've changed toward me...is it the baby?"

"No. I'm going up to the roof for awhile."

She watches him go. For awhile it seemed like she was winning him over but these last few months its been clear that Kilowatt is still hung up on whoever he loved before he ended up here.

-2-

Terra looks up as Nightwing and her brother Geo Force return to the hotel. "You two made the news. The current mayor isn't happy but our candidate seems to welcome the heroes back if it will help clean up the city."

"Maybe that will work in our favor if people really want their heroes back that is." Nightwing glances out the window at the billboard. He still can't wrap his head around that guy being Kilowatt. "Any news from Kilowatt?"

"Still nothing. Maybe they were onto him and he had to stop...or a certain someone out there won't help him anymore for whatever reason."

"I would like to know he is okay."

"We could go-only for that reason."

"Its too big of a risk. You would be too easily recognized."

"Like you wouldn't after the stunt you pulled with Nikki."

"It wouldn't be good for the 'Markov' siblings to be seen out there." Geo Force looks from Terra to Nightwing. "I can go in and try to get some time alone with Kilowatt."

* * *

READ MY PROFILE BEFORE YOU REVIEW PLEASE for a list of the things in reviews that trigger my bipolar manic episodes and please for both my sake and yours don't put any of them in a review. you don't want to be on the receiving end of a reply if something does trigger an episode and one of my cousins isn't around to stop me from replying. Actually I take meds for that now but sometimes things still set me off so yeah-warning stills stands.


	3. Chapter 3

**Darling Raven Daring Nikki 4-Baby I'm a Star**

*3*

With all he has to worry about the last thing he needs is this. One of his girls and Nikki's guys getting into a fight over something the girl stopped by the infirmary and said to Nikki when the guy was there to see the baby. Had it been Charlie he can't say he would have been surprised-but it was the usually mild mannered Zoltan. The girl has been one they have been watching for months-the one Sonja had Ebony ferret out as being the one to harass Nikki after she got pregnant wanting to move in and take her place. He looks up from his papers on the desk and looks at the girl sitting in front of him. "I don't understand Honey...do you need contacts?"

"Why would I need those?"

"I have much to do as you can see so rather than play-I'm just going to cut to the chase. Its no secret most if not all the girls in this place want to be in Nikki's and Ebony's positions-even Candy's for that matter. All of them but you see that there is zero tolerance for the sort of behavior you displayed earlier."

"I didn't do anything."

"What did you say?...Think very carefully before you answer because there were witnesses."

"I told Nikki without her guys she's nothing around here anymore. And don't you try to tell me it isn't true when you got Candy to replace her."

"Whether you choose to believe it or not Nikki picked out Candy to fill in for certain things a pregnant woman doesn't feel like doing for a guy. Do you by chance remember Ebony telling you several months ago that if you didn't watch your mouth there would be consequences?"

"Ebony isn't the boss of me."

"I'm losing my patience with you-Honey. I'm asking do you remember her telling you that?"

"Yeah."

"You should have listened whether or not she is your boss. I won't tolerate your behavior and since you want to sit here and be smart about it you can be an example to all the rest of the girls. The patrons miss Candy-but I rather like her so she won't be going back upstairs. You can take her place and make everyone with a sweet tooth happy."

"Hell no! I am not going up there."

Elrich motions for the two guards who stand just outside the open door to take her away. As Honey is lead kicking and screaming from the room he is about to return to his work when the monitors catch his eye. The flash of lightning shows up on the roof camera and it also shows that Charlie is up there again. Elrich groans before getting up and going down to the infirmary.

Nikki looks up from the baby when the boss comes in.

"We need to talk."

Nikki glares at him mistrustfully and holds her newborn baby girl protectively.

"Its about to come another thundersnow storm and Charlie is up on the roof again. This isn't the first time he's been up there in bad weather. I know that he had electrical powers so I can understand if he has no fear of lightning. So that leaves me to wonder if he is suicidal. The two of you have a falling out or something?"

"What would make you ask that?"

"You haven't shown him the same level of favoritism over your other guys the last several months and he has been sulking around when he isn't onstage."

"Charlie is hung up on whatever girl he loved before he ended up here. He isn't as much fun to lead on and tease as he used to be."

"Regardless of that he is your male star. You should watch him closely. We don't need him jumping off the roof or getting himself struck by lightning out there and cause negative press this close to the election."

"That is a relief."

"What is?"

"You were starting to scare me. For a minute there it actually sounded like you cared about someone."

"I have work to do Nikki."

"I understand about you and your work. Care to explain that to Arella? You didn't even stick around to at least get a good look at her earlier."

Elrich looks up when the scheduler approaches them. "Problem?"

"Perhaps. If you will forgive me for interrupting. The billboards went up in the city today and I have on very insistent caller willing to pay a substantial sum of money for some time with Charlie."

Elrich leaves Nikki to deal with the scheduler.

Nikki sighs as she glares after Elrich's retreating form before looking down at her baby girl. "Talk to Charlie-its up to him."

The scheduler looks up at the doctor startled. A request like that would normally set her off.

The doctor shrugs and mouths the words 'mommy brain'.

*3*

Kilowatt is left even more stunned when the scheduler explains the request to him and that Nikki gave him the option of taking it or not.

"If you will forgive me for saying so-your mistress must have a bad case of mommy brain."

"Really." Does she have mommy brain or is she toying with him again? If she is playing some game to snap him out of it he will play along. "What the heck-its just some private dinner date here at the club."

* * *

READ MY PROFILE BEFORE YOU REVIEW PLEASE for a list of the things in reviews that trigger my bipolar manic episodes and please for both my sake and yours don't put any of them in a review. you don't want to be on the receiving end of a reply if something does trigger an episode and one of my cousins isn't around to stop me from replying. Actually I take meds for that now but sometimes things still set me off so yeah-warning stills stands.


	4. Chapter 4

**Darling Raven Daring Nikki 4-Baby I'm a Star**

The next evening Kilowatt watches as the guy across the table. He doesn't need a hint-he can clearly see the family resemblance between the guy and Terra. Obviously he came in to check on him since they haven't heard from him in awhile.

Geo Force glances around-he is sure that the room is under surveillance so he has to be careful not to reveal why he is here but at the same time make Kilowatt understand why he is. "I understand they don't let you out of this place."

"Things are...complicated. The mistress keeps me on a very short leash."

"How can you stand being cooped up here?"

"I have the run of the place. Its not so bad really. Being the mistress' favorite working guy has its perks. I do have to admit the last few months have been rather slow going."

Geo Force looks up sure that Kilowatt at least knows he is here on behalf of Terra and Nightwing. "What makes you say that?"

"The mistress has been rather moody during her last few months of pregnancy. I'm hoping that will improve now that the baby has been born."

He nods in understanding. "Dreadful affair the owner this establishment has gotten himself into with the media these last several months. I'm sure being the focus of that didn't help your mistress any-especially with him dragging another girl around on his arm when he attends public functions."

Kilowatt roles his eyes. If only he could tell the story of how Nikki has been secretly fueling the media's firestorm against the boss. He shrugs.

-4-

Nikki watches from the office monitors as her Charlie finishes up his dinner date with the patron. She looks down at her baby girl in her arms. Things are not working out the way she hoped they would in regards to a new daddy for Arella. She glances up as the door opens.

Elrich looks at the mistrustful glance Nikki throws his way. "Its poker night. I just came in to get some cash."

Nikki turns her attention back to the baby without bothering to reply.

After unlocking the cash drawer on the desk and taking out some money Elrich looks at the monitors as he locks it back. "You let Charlie have a client?"

She looks up from the baby. "I for one wasn't really focused on what the scheduler was requesting last night. He is as bad as you when it comes to making a profit. The more rich the clientele the more he tries to cater to their every whim. I think its time to have a talk with Charlie-he should know better-"

"-He isn't the only one who should know better Darling Nikki."

"Doc says hands off. Go home and play with Candy after your poker game."

Elrich grumbles to himself as he leaves the office.

Nikki gives him time to vacate the hallway then takes the baby with her as she goes to talk with Charlie.

-4-

Kilowatt who sits alone after the client leaves looks up as Nikki comes in with the baby.

"How did it go?"

This moment has been coming for a while now so he figures its best to get it over with. "Do you really care or is this more of your games?"

"Why would I be playing any games? You haven't been in the mood to play for months now. I gave you an option when I had my mind on other things-I didn't make you do anything."

He sees an opportunity to turn Nikki's games against her. "Maybe I misunderstood. I thought you didn't want me anymore."

"I never said that. You have been the one in a funk for months acting like you didn't want me." She looks down at the baby in her arms as she tries to remain calm. Even this talk isn't going the way she had planned. "Better cool it with the trips outside during the thundersnow storms. The boss thinks you're out to get struck by lightning to commit suicide."

"Maybe I was."

"Why would you do that?"

"You have no idea what this is like-wanting another so bad you can't stand it while someone else tries their damnedest to make you fall for them."

"I know much more about that than you might think."

"Do you really? The last I heard you talk about it you have everything set up with the boss so you could have exactly what you want as soon as the baby comes. She is here now and you always get what you want. You never think about what you want does to others. I'm still here-just stop toying with me. If you have to have me to yourself then do it or leave me be. I can't take these games of yours anymore." He leaves her alone to think about what he said.

Nikki watches him leave then looks down at Arella. She wanders around the building aimlessly until she finds herself in front of Raven's old room. She finds a picture of a woman that she somehow associates the name of Arella with. That seems odd to her but she quickly shrugs it off as she looks around at all of the things that were Raven's. "I'm not stupid." She finds herself shocked that she is talking to someone who isn't in the room-but yet in a way Nikki feels she Raven is here and she turns to the mirror as she keeps talking. "I know its you that Kilowatt can't let go of Raven. I can't stand to see him hurting-but he walked right out of my dreams and I can't let him go. I need him and so does Arella. She and I are here and you aren't-let him go for all of our sakes." She takes another look around before going back down to the office. She sits down in the chair holding her baby as she drifts off into a light doze.

-4-

As he lays down on his bunk and drifts off to sleep-Raven is very much on Kilowatt's mind. Is it just wishful dreaming or does he really find himself in the dark starry dream-scape that represents Raven's mind? "Raven?" Something silvery glints in the distance and he finds himself running toward it. He soon comes to a large person sized bird cage and finds not a bird-but a girl with the name of one locked inside. "Raven!" He watches her sitting on the swinging perch putting him in mind of Nikki's new bird cage pendant-only she is decked out in a blue flowing cloak. When she finally looks up at him tears fall from her indigo eyes. He reaches his hand toward her through the bars of the cage. Kilowatt watches as she slowly gets off the swing and places her hand in his. He pulls her to him hugging her through the bars of the cage. Its so good to hold her in his arms again even if this only a dream. He never wants to wake up.

Raven sobs quietly in his arms for sometime before looking up at Kilowatt. She heard everything he told Nikki. And Nikki's little speech about not giving Kilowatt up. Raven doesn't want Kilowatt to hurt anymore because of her. "I'm sorry."

Kilowatt looks down at Raven's upturned face. "For what?"

"Being the cause of your pain these last few months. I don't want you to hurt anymore." She takes a deep shaky breath before continuing. "Go to her."

"No-its you I want."

"Nikki will only let you have her."

"Raven-"

"-Listen to me please. Its okay...I'm here-inside her. When you're with her-you will be with me too. Just don't let her find that out. She doesn't know about me and I don't want to think about what might happen to me here if she did."

"This is real. I can't leave you here."

"You have to. I'm not strong enough to fight her-not yet."

Kilowatt looks at her cloak and remembers all the other versions of her and the story of when Cyborg and Beast Boy ended up in her mind. "The emoticlones...you need them. I can find them and-"

"-No...it wouldn't work. Through Nikki they now have freedom of expression and they only make her stronger. In time they may leave her and start to come to me-but they can't be forced to join me. It must be their choice. You should go now-the longer you stay the greater chance Nikki has of finding out this is real."

He hugs Raven tightly to him. "I don't want to let you go."

"You have to...for now..."

"I love you...never forget that."

"I love you too."

-4-

Kilowatt awakens with a start. For a brief moment Raven was so close-yet still so far away from him.

"You okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

He looks over at Zoltan in the next bunk. "I'm fine. Just a dream."

"Must have been a bad one."

Kilowatt has no desire to discuss it-he just nods. "I could use some fresh air." He gets up and heads toward the roof.

-4-

Nikki awakens from some vague dream about Charlie on her mind as the door opens.

Candy closes the door behind her. "Have you been up here all day?"

Nikki looks down at Arella. "We took a little walk around for awhile." She glances at the clock. "Then a nap apparently."

"Why don't you let me watch her for awhile so you can get some rest?"

Nikki starts to say she isn't tired-but she really needs to talk to Charlie. She needs him and Arella needs a daddy. She nods to Candy. "I could use a little break. I'll be back in a few minutes." Reluctantly she places her baby in Candy's arms. After leaving the office she soon meets Kilowatt on the way to the roof.

Kilowatt nods to her. "Mistress."

"We need to talk."

He follows Nikki to their usual meeting spot.

"I'm sorry."

The same words Raven said to him catches him off guard. "For what?"

"You were right. I was thinking about what I wanted not what you wanted. I care for you Charlie. I know who she was...that empty room upstairs-Raven's-it was her. That is what bothers you about being here."

"Yeah..."

"I would find a way to give you the moon if you wanted it...but I can't give you her."

He thinks that she could if she really wanted to but he doesn't say so. Raven said not to let Nikki find out about her being locked inside so he says the only thing he can think of to nix any chance of her ever having those thoughts. "She's...gone..."

"Gone?" She looks up at Kilowatt wide-eyed as she gets it. "Gone as in...oh Charlie. I'm sorry-I didn't know. No wonder you've been so out of it these last few months. Whatever happened was around that time..."

"In case no one ever told you-the two of you look a lot alike-that just makes it awfully hard sometimes."

Nikki shivers as she remembers Elrich's intentions to lock her up in Raven's old room. "I can't bring her back...but if you let me-maybe I can help you heal."

Kilowatt is really playing Nikki's game now by telling so many half truths but now that he has started he can't stop. "I left her and ended up loosing her forever. How can anyone heal that?"

"My poor Charlie..." She hugs him tight.

He lets her hug him for awhile before pulling away. "Now that its out in the open I would rather not talk about it anymore. We better get back before someone notices."

"Yeah. I just never meant to make you unhappy." She starts to let him leave but stops him. Just a second. I'm not mad about earlier-but you should be careful about letting the scheduler make anymore dinner dates. The boss might start to suspect something if his friends pull off what they want to in the election."

"Was it that obvious? They were just worried because they haven't heard from me in awhile."

"I didn't think you were interested in that anymore. We have to be very careful in the future. I'll find what I can in the files when I go over the guys schedules. I'll let you call them when I can."

* * *

READ MY PROFILE BEFORE YOU REVIEW PLEASE for a list of the things in reviews that trigger my bipolar manic episodes and please for both my sake and yours don't put any of them in a review. you don't want to be on the receiving end of a reply if something does trigger an episode and one of my cousins isn't around to stop me from replying. Actually I take meds for that now but sometimes things still set me off so yeah-warning stills stands.


	5. Chapter 5

**Darling Raven Daring Nikki 4-Baby I'm a Star**

*5*

Geo Force looks from Terra to Nightwing. "I think he knew who I was-or at least that I was there on behalf of the two of you. I didn't find out much other than Nikki hasn't been very cooperative the last few months. I got the impression that there may have even been some sort of falling out between Kilowatt and Nikki. We may have gotten all the information we can from them."

Terra turns to Nightwing. "Do we have enough?"

"I would like to have more on the corrupt cops than we do-but we have enough to get started anyway-if the election goes our way."

-5-

Nikki looks up as Elrich enters the office after his poker game. She waves a hand in front of her face as he comes near her. "I thought smoking wasn't allowed in public buildings."

"It was a private party-in my building. How did your talk with Charlie go?"

"Not so good. It was about a girl-like I thought."

Elrich looks up intrigued after depositing his winnings in the cash drawer. "He has the hots for someone other than you?"

"Had. He's been hung up a girl that he lost and can't get back. It bothers him a lot because I look so much like her."

"Really? Is he going to be a problem?"

"I doubt he will get over it completely. I get the idea for awhile there I was some sort of stand in for her and it finally sunk in for him that she was really gone and couldn't get her back through me."

Elrich takes a good long look at Nikki wondering just how much she knows about the supposed look alike girl he lost.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Did he say who this girl he lost was?"

"No-but it wasn't hard to figure out. I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner. That costumed freak and his little friend that told him where to find me kept calling me Raven. And that was why you had intentions of putting me up in her room when you thought I ran away-so you could capitalize on the fact that I look so much like her." Nikki brushes back her bangs revealing the gemstone on her forehead. "I'm guessing at first that was your intentions with me all along."

"I guess I have to admit my guilt on both counts. Can you blame me?"

Nikki glances down at the baby. "I should rip off your you know what and stick em up you know where for that is what I should do." She smooths out her bangs. "Do you have any idea how annoying this thing is-and bangs to hide it too for that matter."

"At least you could show a little gratitude for me taking such a strong liking to you and keeping you as my own rather than sticking you straight up in that room and billing you as your doppelganger."

"Was that really like for me or just lust for who I look like?"

"If it was lust for who you look like don't you think I would have had you role playing as her every night?"

"Good point-but I'm still not happy about the bangs and the gemstone that won't come off."

"Complaint noted. If you want to get rid of the bangs I suppose we could have the jeweler make you some sort custom head piece to either hide the gem altogether or incorporate it."

"I would rather get rid of it."

"You make quite an infuriating diva my darling."

"I'm the star-its in the job description."

* * *

I know its an abrupt ending-but I decided to stop it here with a reference of sorts to the title.

READ MY PROFILE BEFORE YOU REVIEW PLEASE for a list of the things in reviews that trigger my bipolar manic episodes and please for both my sake and yours don't put any of them in a review. you don't want to be on the receiving end of a reply if something does trigger an episode and one of my cousins isn't around to stop me from replying. Actually I take meds for that now but sometimes things still set me off so yeah-warning stills stands.


End file.
